NewsCalifornia News

Actions

Ex-San Diego deputy sentenced in killing of fleeing man

File image of a gavel in front of law books.
Posted

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A former San Diego County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a man he saw escape from a patrol car has been sentenced to three years of probation and a year in jail.

Twenty-five-year-old Aaron Russell pleaded guilty last month to voluntary manslaughter in the May 2020 shooting death of Nicholas Bils.

Superior Court Judge Francis Devaney also ordered a three-year suspended sentence. That means if Russell were to violate the terms of probation, he could be sent to prison.

The prosecutor had sought a six-year term behind bars.

Outside court Monday Bils’ cousin Amber Barnett called the sentence “shameful.”

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Wednesday

02/05/2025

AM Showers

58° / 42°

59%

Thursday

02/06/2025

Mostly Cloudy

69° / 54°

17%

Friday

02/07/2025

AM Showers

61° / 41°

34%

Saturday

02/08/2025

Partly Cloudy

58° / 40°

7%

Sunday

02/09/2025

Partly Cloudy

58° / 37°

6%

Monday

02/10/2025

Partly Cloudy

59° / 37°

6%

Tuesday

02/11/2025

Mostly Sunny

59° / 39°

7%

Wednesday

02/12/2025

Mostly Cloudy

59° / 44°

24%